Council approves $437,161.70 in pay requests; engineers explain Chick Fry Excavating change order caused by unsuitable soils

The council approved a consent agenda pay request package totaling $437,161.70, which included eight items: EC COG ($8,000) for comprehensive plan phase 2; EC COG ($450) for downtown façade revitalization; HR Green ($10,560.65) for Ford and Huber sanitary sewer replacement; HR Green ($4,870) for Elm & Hickory sanitary sewer rehab; Martin and Garner ($32,250) for downtown façade revitalization; Snyder & Associates ($12,540.40) for wastewater treatment plant flow EQ basin; Chick Fry Excavating ($310,366.85) for the Ford and Huber sanitary sewer project; and a Chick Fry Excavating change order of $58,109.80 for unsuitable backfill quantities.

Council members questioned the Chick Fry change order and whether more bore samples should have been taken before construction. A contractor/engineer explained that additional unsuitable soil required sand and rock importation to meet compaction and that borings along the route would likely have cost $10,000–$20,000; the engineer also said the project included a bid item for replacement of unsuitable backfill with an established unit price to limit contractor overcharge. The council voted to approve the pay requests by roll call.

Members discussed whether to require borings on future projects to avoid surprise change orders; staff and engineers said borings add cost and that assumptions about existing sewer corridors sometimes lead teams to omit extensive borings, but council consensus favored more caution on major future projects.